Thought processes and conversations started under the tilted cap of Tropicana Field. Someday everyone will know the Rays play in St. Petersburg, Florida, not TAMPA, or the fictitious city of TAMPA BAY.

A Personal Way to Get That Sought After Autograph

What if I could give you an alternative to obtaining that cherished signature of your favorite sports figure without having to feel like a sardine in the can awaiting his arrival down by the field railing? What if I can get you virtually and digitally “hooked up” with a unique way to not only get that autograph, but be provided the additional added bonus of getting your selected photo personalized with the cherry on top of it all being a 30 second sound byte by that player?

etter yet, what if I told you it is not only pleasantly affordable, but it can also be conveniently emailed with no tussle of fuss of having black Sharpie stains on your fingers or hand, plus the stress-free addition of not having to fight your way in or out of the assembled crowd seeking that same player’s autograph. Now Egraphs can not only make that experience pleasant, it can give you the opportunity to get a photo personalized without worry of offending the player or those seeking his autograph without the hassle of wasting your precious time and possibly being one of those missed by the player before he leaves.

This revolutionary idea in obtaining and personalizing autographs was the brain child of the Auld brothers David and Brian who also happens to be the Tampa Bay Rays Senior Vice President for Business Operations. Brian might be the “idea guy”, but it is David who once worked for technologically savvy Microsoft out in Seattle brought this concept together after hatching the idea last Summer. Also on board with the Auld brothers is former Rays player Gabe Kapler who will take on the role of Director of Business Development, and with his MLB connections should have a stream of players and MLB personnel both active and from the past phoning him for a chance at providing their own images and signatures to this expanding Egraphs universe.

Think about this for a second, you could be a huge Rays fan who live outside the 727 or 813 zip codes living anywhere, anyplace in this country or overseas and by just going through a simple application you could receive a photo personalized along with a short voice message from your favorite player. This concept can not only broadens the player and teams fan base outside the confines of Tampa Bay, it brings about the possibility of these special autographs and photos being presented as special tokens of loyal fans through the Rays Republic on a worldwide basis. Even at the recently completed All Star Game festivities in Kansas City, Missouri there was chatter and whispers about this great product, and I would not be surprised if the Egraphs roster of players doesn’t explode over the second half of this season and be a formidable personalized autograph provider by Spring Training 2013.

Interesting enough, one of the first investors in this project was Rays principal owner Stuart Sternberg who knows a thing or two about investments and risks. And if you peel back the surface of this presently baseball-related autograph and photo opportunity, there is an unlimited and expansive opening of the arms to possibly include other sports from NFL, NBA or NHL as well as Hollywood stars and people in the news to become future providers of their images and signatures. And the process is really simple, heck I tried out the process today just to see how it all plays out, and it was effortless for me until I had to decide what I wanted message I might want personalized to myself or someone else.

Maybe you write a blog and might want to use it as an avatar, maybe include it as a link on your website, or maybe you want a framed 8X11 of the photo for your office or personal baseball shrine? It is all as simple as writing an email and for an offering of $50 which includes a high resolution photo which is electronically signed and personalized by the player, then emailed to your email address. This whole painless autograph process is not only affordable, it is a down right steal.

Think of how invaluable this is not only for the fans, but for the players as they can use an I-pad device anywhere, even on the charter flight, in the clubhouse, or maybe even lounging on a Florida beach during an off-day or off-season. By simply using a stylist and voice recorder, the player can complete the request in their leisure taking away the added stress of a crowd of people with Sharpies, balls or photos waved in front of them for their signatures. I truly think this whole new way of getting autographs could bring about a serenity to the whole process and will be a great asset for both parties involved.

Egraphs currently have around 100 players in their stable, but as other learn of the ease of this new autograph endeavor, the Egraphs list will expand as rapidly as Kapler and his (future) staff can answer the phone. Of course some people are afraid the signatures might not be original, and possibly be duplicated in some way. Well, Egraphs has devised a system where not only can the clubhouse assistant or friend of the player not sign the photographs, there is a voice recognition system to not only helps authenticate the process, but give you the satisfaction of knowing you got the autograph you desired along with a real voice message.

Of course for an additional fee of $45, you can also get a certificate of authenticity provided with your 8X10 framed photograph that will not only be good for future generations, but gives you piece of mind and security that this is indeed an real photo and signature of your favorite player. So if you want to check out Egraphs, you can click on any of the “Egraphs” mentions in this posting, or go to this link and check it out for yourself. This new way of getting autographs is not meant to replace or remove the thrill or adventure of getting it in person, it just gives others the opportunity to also get that exciting feeling of having a genuine MLB player’s photo and signature, with a personalized both written and vocal message just for them.

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